


Animal Attraction

by Geonn



Series: Underdogs [22]
Category: Original Work
Genre: Art, Case Fic, F/F, Hook-Up, Pre-Relationship, Romance, Valentine's Day
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-02-07
Updated: 2013-02-07
Packaged: 2017-11-28 13:12:43
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 6,011
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/674771
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Geonn/pseuds/Geonn
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Ari takes a slightly unusual case on Valentine's Day, while Dale spends the holiday alone.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Animal Attraction

Whitney York stared at the frosted glass for a long moment, knowing that anyone inside would be able to see her outside but not caring. Bitches Investigations. What was she thinking coming to a place with a name like that? What was she thinking, period? This was humiliating and pathetic and... She rolled her head back and closed her eyes. She already made the appointment. They were expecting her. They were probably standing on the other side of the door looking at her blurry outline and laughing so quietly she couldn't hear them. Finally she knocked once out of courtesy and opened the door.

There were four chairs in the waiting area, two against the wall to either side, and a desk in front of the window directly across from the door. The girl behind the desk looked up and smiled warmly. "Hi. Ms. York?"

"Yes." She let her hand fall from the doorknob. She pushed it closed and stepped into the room; no going back now. "I-I'm a little late."

"Actually you're right on time." She picked up her phone. "Ari? Whitney York is here for her appointment." She gestured with her chin. "You can go on inside."

Whitney nodded her thanks and stepped to the door. The inner office was brightly lit thanks to a large picture window. Passersby could be seen through the blinds, but they were closed just enough to prevent anyone from looking in to see her there. A large clock hung on the wall next to a map of Seattle. Push-pins decorated the city, but she couldn't begin to guess at their meaning. The woman she assumed was the detective stood up from behind the desk and smiled.

"Hi. I'm Ariadne Willow. Have a seat."

"Thank you..." Ariadne was beautiful. Athletic and lithe, with straight brown hair that was pulled back to highlight her strong, square jaw and cheekbones. "I'm sorry. I don't mean to stare. My friend told me you were beautiful, but she's been known to exaggerate."

Ariadne smiled. "Wow. Your friend, Maggie Styles? The one who recommended me?"

"Yes."

"Well, give her my thanks. She was the artist, right? Someone was breaking into her studio and taking supplies."

Whitney nodded. "That's right. Sorry. I'm a little embarrassed to be here."

Ariadne chuckled. "No reason to be nervous."

She cleared her throat. Might as well get it over with. "Do you offer protective services?"

"Like bodyguards? It's not exactly my wheelhouse." She gestured at herself with a smile. "I've done it in the past, though."

"So if I could hire you to protect my body from harm, there's no reason I couldn't do the same for my..." She sighed. "My reputation? My feelings?"

Ariadne frowned. "What do you mean?"

"I run an art gallery and we're having a show on Valentine's Day. The theme is love and romance in all its forms, and we'll be hosting various power couples from the Seattle elite. Included in the guest list are several of my former girlfriends who are now... enraptured with romances of their own." She sighed heavily. "I'm not jealous. And I'm not looking for a relationship. I don't want to start dating someone just so there's a person on my arm at the show, and I don't want to be standing there drawing pity from everyone just because I'm solo.

"I'm sure I could find someone to accompany me, but it wouldn't feel right asking them out and then ignoring them all night. I thought about escort services, but there's something unsavory about the idea of calling them up and just ordering a woman. Plus no matter what they say, there's always a sense that sex will enter into the picture at some point. I don't want that. I just want a nice little business arrangement. So I'm willing to pay your standard fee for a night's work, plus extra due to forcing you to work on the holiday."

Ariadne had looked perplexed during the speech, but thankfully she wasn't laughing yet. Whitney raised her eyebrows expectantly, waiting as the detective mulled it over. 

"Will it be catered?"

"Of course... Borealis is providing the food."

"Borealis doesn't deliver."

Whitney smiled and winked, feeling relaxed for the first time since entering the office. "They do for me."

"All right. The food was the deciding point. I think we can work something out."

"What a relief." She sighed and smiled. "Oh, and if you're not into women, you don't have to worry about anything more awkward than hand-holding."

Ariadne shrugged. "I love women. And I've done a lot more than hand-holding for a lot less than a meal from Borealis."

Whitney laughed. "Sounds like we have a deal, Miss Willow. Oh... it is 'miss,' isn't it? If you have plans with someone else--"

"I'm single. Even if I wasn't, I'm not a big fan of the Valentine's Day. It did have a pretty good massacre once, but other than that..." She shrugged. "Considering some of the jobs I've had lately, dressing up and going to an art gallery ranks up there with the kind of job I'd do for free." She cleared her throat. "That's just an expression, though."

Whitney winked and held up her checkbook. "Trust me, whatever you charge it'll be a bargain for the frustration you're saving me from. Now... let's talk about your dress..."

#

Ari eyed the price tag, winced, and handed it back over the partition. "Nope."

"What's wrong with that one?" Dale took it back and draped another over the top of the door. "It was blue..."

"Yeah, and judging from the price it was dyed blue with the blood of the last surviving Smurfs. Whitney may be footing the bill, but I don't want to gouge the poor lady." She kept her bra on as she tugged the new dress into place, ignoring the straps as she turned to examine her profile in the mirror. "Plus you know how uncomfortable I am wearing expensive clothes."

Dale hung another dress on the door. "Well, I like it. I spend way too much time digging through thrift store racks looking for stuff to put in your stashes, it's nice to actually have a wide range for once. And you'll look phenomenal. None of the grungy hoodie T-shirt ripped jeans ensembles you love so much."

"I like being comfortable." Ari slipped out of the dress and passed it back to Dale. "Maybe I'll just wear my fur coat."

"I thought the intent was to protect the client's reputation. What will people say if her date is four-legged?"

"Nothing. I'll bite the first person who says something. Problem solved." She held up one of the other choices Dale had given her. "Aren't there any red dresses out there?"

Dale said, "You don't look as good in red. I mean, you look hot. But you look better in winter colors."

She had a point. "Still, it's Valentine's day. Can I see something white?"

"I'll see what I can find."

"Thanks, Dale."

Her instinct was to just wear her best suit and call it a day, but Whitney said she preferred a dress. She was the one paying, so Ari couldn't argue. It wasn't that she had an aversion to dresses, she just preferred pants. Then again, if she had to change in a hurry, dresses and skirts made it slightly more convenient.

A white dress was dangled over the partition. "How's this?"

Ari considered it, and then took the hanger from Dale. "A step in the right direction." She took it and began the process of getting it on. "Are you looking for stuff, too?"

"Why would I? I'm not going to the shindig."

"Yeah, but she gave me a cap. We could get two bargain-price outfits and that way you'd have something for Valentine's."

Dale scoffed and leaned against the outside of the door. "Right. The women I'm seeing on Valentine's night don't judge me."

"Women plural?" Ari felt a twinge of jealousy that she didn't quite know what to do with. "Are you hoarding them from me?"

"Yep. Bette, Tina, Shane, Alice..."

Ari smiled. "Marathon?"

"DVDs. I'm finally trying to catch up."

"That's a crying shame, Frye. You're a beautiful woman. Why are you here helping me when you could be out at the bar having your pick?"

Dale laughed. "Slim pickings. Less chance of disaster here, unless you rip one of these dresses and we're forced to pay for it. Besides, you're one to talk. Taking a case over Valentine's Day? There's your patheticness."

"I get paid for my patheticness."

"As your assistant, so do I. But I get to sit at home in my pajamas and watch Jennifer Beals go down on pretty ladies while you're at work."

Ari grunted. "I think you win." She smoothed down the front of the dress and examined it from both sides. It was white with very subtle red accents, with a single shoulder strap that cut just low enough to show off her cleavage before dipping under the other arm. It was also long enough that it touched her knees, which Ari liked. With the right heels... "And I think this dress wins, too."

"Does it actually look good, or are you just tired of trying them on?"

"Both. I'm coming out." She opened the door and held her hands out to bracket her hips. "Well, what do you think?"

Dale looked her up and down. "Wow. You look... you..."

"Well, it'll be different in shoes and with makeup and my hair done and everything. But I mean, the general--"

"It's good." Dale nodded. "Yeah. It's really... a-plus." She smiled. "You made a good choice. You're beautiful, Ari."

Ari shrugged and ducked her head, hoping Dale wouldn't see her blushing as she stepped back into the changing room. "Don't oversell it. I'm just happy to be done."

"After this we'll check out shoes."

"Can't I wear my own shoes?"

"Sure. If you can tell me any shoes you own that go with that dress."

Ari looked at herself in the mirror as she carefully took off the new dress. "Adidas goes with everything."

"What was that?"

"Nothing." She rolled her eyes. "We'll go look at shoes next if we must. This case is turning out to be a real pain in my ass."

Dale faked a sob. "Poor little princess, has to dress up nice and hang out at an art gallery."

"I'd rather watch _The L Word_ with you."

"Come over after the party. We'll pop some popcorn, order a pizza..."

Ari smiled as she put her jeans back on. "Are you asking me on a date?"

"Camouflage date. Two women against the rest of the world in the face of St. Valentine. You know, like you're doing with Whitney. Neither of us really wants a relationship right now, right?"

Ari made a non-committal noise and stepped out of the changing room. Dale took the losers off the hook. "I'll put these back where I got them." She looked at the red dress now draped over Ari's right arm. "You really did look magnificent in that, Ari."

"Magnificent, huh?" She decided to just take the compliment without the hassle of feeling flustered and emotional. "Thanks, Dale. Coming from you that means a lot."

"Are you claiming I have high standards?"

Ari put her arm around Dale's shoulder and guided her back to the racks. "I'm saying that in a world full of people shouting their opinions, your whispered approval means more to me than a thousand wolf whistles."

It was Dale's turn to blush. "Aw. Who says you're not a romantic?"

"Every woman who has ever, ever dated me." She kissed the side of Dale's head and resigned herself to the search of shoes.

#

Whitney opened the door, inhaling to greet her but freezing before she could say anything. She ran her eyes over the outfit, her smile fading and replaced by a look of pleasant surprise. "Wow. You clean up well."

Ari raised an eyebrow. "Thanks. I was just about to ask if I could go home to change. You look exceptionally gorgeous." Whitney was wrapped in black and white, her shoulders bare and a fair length of her thigh exposed by a slit in the dress.

"Thank you. But wow. I love your arms." She reached out and gently squeezed Ari's right bicep. "You'll have to tell me you regimen to get guns like this."

"When I jog, I tend to run on all fours."

Whitney laughed. "I've seen people doing stranger things in the park. I'm almost ready." She stepped back into the apartment, leaving the door open so Ari could come inside. Ari casually scanned the apartment, impressed at the spartan elegance. There was just enough effort to show that Whitney knew what she was doing, but not so much it was overwhelming. The result was more cozy than cold. 

"I was thinking about what our story should be, in case people ask where we met." A silver necklace was draped over her right hand when she came back from the bedroom. Ari took it and Whitney turned, lifting her hair so Ari could put it on her. "We shouldn't go overboard. Something nice and simple."

"Does your gallery do sales over the internet?" Whitney nodded. "Then I'm someone who bought a painting online. We got to talking in emails, and struck up a relationship. We can say I only make it to Seattle a few times a year, so people won't wonder why I suddenly disappear after tonight. And it's a good lie. It might be 2012, but people don't lie about meeting on the internet. Meeting on the internet is the truth they try to cover up."

Whitney smiled and turned around, adjusting the necklace so that the small crystal was centered. "Sounds good to me. How do I look?"

"Still phenomenal. There's one more thing we should get out of the way, just in case it comes up during the night."

"Okay."

Ari cupped Whitney's face and kissed her. Whitney relaxed quickly, understanding Ari's intent but not comfortable enough to turn the kiss into a clutch. The kiss only lasted a few seconds, but Whitney still swayed slightly when Ari retreated.

"I just thought if there was a moment where we'd be expected to kiss, it would be better to get it out of the way here--"

"No, yeah, I'm... yes. Definitely." She smiled. "Unassailable logic, Ms. Willow. Ariadne."

"If we're dating, you would call me Ari."

Whitney nodded. "Ari. Got it." She extended her elbow. "Shall we?"

Ari slipped her arm around Whitney's and guided her out of the apartment.

#

They took a cab to the gallery so they could get their backgrounds straight. Whitney warned her that, despite being her date, Ari would end up alone more often than not while she was busy hobnobbing and mingling with the buyers. "It's another reason I wasn't willing to do this to someone I was actually interested in. Don't get the impression that the way I act tonight is standard Whitney York date behavior."

Ari smiled. "I'll try not to be too offended by your disinterest."

"Good. And feel free to stuff your face with as much of the Borealis goodies you can carry. Hell, I'll even get you a doggie bag." Ari laughed. "What?"

"Nothing. Doggie bag. Inside joke." She shook her head and looked out the window as they pulled up outside the gallery. "Wow. This is yours?"

"Yep." She paid the driver and took Ari's hand as she unfolded herself from the cab. "It took a while to work up from my little hole-in-the-wall, but once I started to make a name for myself in the art world, it was an easier climb. You know what helped? _Frasier_. Suddenly all the Seattle elite were competing with a fictional character so they didn't look austere by comparison."

" _Frasier...._ " Ari mused. "The dog was funny."

Whitney laughed and patted Ari's hand. "Oh, honey. If anyone tries to strike up a conversation about art, just smile and look pretty."

Ari grinned and let Whitney guide her into the building. The front wall was all glass, and the two levels of the gallery were brilliantly lit like a cross-sectioned dollhouse. The second level was open so she could see people standing in clusters to either socialize or comment on one painting or another. She couldn't get over the feeling that it was a lobby. She expected to find a reception desk and be pointed toward an elevator.

Less than a minute after their arrival, a woman called out Whitney's name. "Cameron Willoughby," she said sotto voce. The woman hurrying toward them, careful not to spill her drink on the hardwood floor, was a towering blonde in a classic little black dress. The outfit was made a little gaudier by the eight pounds of jewelry hanging off her wrists and neck. "She's a big, big donor. Cameron, hello!"

They exchanged pleasantries before Whitney turned to Ari. "Cameron, this is Ariadne Willow. She's my date for the evening."

Cameron regarded Ari, measuring her up before she extended a hand. "Charmed. Well, Whitney, I had no idea you were hiding this little charmer."

"Well, Ari spends most of the time in, ah..."

"Portland," Ari said.

Cameron smiled. "Oh! I summer in Portland."

"Portland, Maine. I'm bicoastal"

"Oh! Well, it's lovely to see Whitney getting back out there again. We were all starting to think she was choosing spinsterhood."

Whitney stiffened. "We'll have to catch up later, Cameron. I was going to show Ari a few of my favorite pieces."

"Of course. Don't leave without snaring me again, you hear?"

"Perish the thought, dear." She guided Ari deeper into the room. "Sorry."

"Don't be."

Whitney was quiet for a moment. "Thanks for not asking."

"It's not my place to ask." She took a drink from a passing waiter and offered it to Whitney. "I understand a little better why you hired me, though. What, was she lurking by the front door?"

"Knowing her, it's possible." She scanned the crowd as she took a sip. "We're lucky. She's one of the worst of the bunch. We got her out of the way so the rest should be relatively smooth sailing." She rested her hand on Ari's wrist. "I'm going to abandon you for a little bit. That Portland thing was inspired."

"I think I'll be okay."

"Just come find me and latch on if you want to hide out. I won't be far." She leaned in and pecked Ari's cheek. "You're a lifesaver."

Ari smiled as they moved off in opposite directions. She slid her hands over her hips, instinctively trying to put them into pockets that weren't there. She put her arms behind her back and gripped her arms with the opposite hand as she wandered from one painting to the next. She noted the artist names even though they meant nothing to her, leaning in to examine the small placard that hung next to each painting.

"No prices," Ari murmured. "Guess that's a little gauche..."

"You know the old adage," someone behind her said. "If you have to ask, you probably can't afford it. That's why I make a point to never ask."

She turned and saw a man in a suit over a gray turtleneck. He was balding, with a three-day's growth of beard that indicated he was important enough not to shave. Probably an artist. He stepped forward to stand at Ari's left as they examined the painting Ari was in front of.

"I once asked, just so I would have a ballpark figure to work with. I took that money and bought a house. Not a large house, granted, but a place to live. Boggles the mind, doesn't it?"

Ari shrugged. "This is one of the truest industries out there."

"How so?"

"Anyone can buy paints, and the canvas... I don't know how much that costs, but it's probably not restrictive. So what you're paying for is the artist's talent. The price is indicative of the work that went into it."

He considered that. "I suppose there's truth to that. But it's just like any other industry. The truly extravagant pieces, the masterpieces... you're paying for the name just like anything else. It doesn't matter if it's a pastoral scene or a portrait, all that matters is that you can't point at it and say that you own a Van Gogh."

"Damn." She clicked her tongue against her teeth. "I was trying to sound smart."

He laughed. "You did well. You forced me to think of a retort, and that is to be respected. I'm Louis."

"Ariadne."

"Did I see you come in with Whitney?"

Ari nodded. "You did. I'm her date."

"Really? Well. That is fantastic."

As much as she wanted to ask why, she didn't want to engage in gossip. "So there's nothing wrong with just pointing at a frame and saying 'nice picture'?"

"On the contrary. It's much more honest than the people who focus more on the signature and the price tag. Trying to one-up each other in dollars rather than taste or style."

"In that case, I like this painting. It has many pretty colors. And horses, which appeal to me aesthetically."

Louis laughed. "Me too. It was a pleasure to meet you, Ariadne."

"Likewise."

He drifted off, and Ari exhaled with relief. Her first solo interaction had gone well. People continued to drift up to her, drawing her into conversations that all eventually wound back to the subject of Whitney and how great it was to see her out with someone. Ari ascended to the second level in the hopes that the cliques she'd spotted from the door meant that fewer people would harass her, but instead she drew them to her like iron shavings to a magnet.

She was standing flanked by an ice-blonde Teutonic couple who asked about her favorite artist. "Cassius Coolidge was an extremely underrated talent," she said. "But there's no denying his appeal. He so effectively captured the working-class hoi polloi zeitgeist that everyone wanted one of his paintings, and they were so economical that it was possible and soon seeing one of his works was... trite. Cliché, even. So in a way, his success proved to be a detriment to his overall popularity. He was too successful for his own good."

"Quite so," the ice-blonde man said. 

Someone touched Ari's elbow and she turned, relieved to see it was Whitney. "Ah, there she is." She leaned in and kissed Whitney's lips quickly. "I was starting to think you'd abandoned me for good."

"Perish the thought. Hello, William. Sarah."

Sarah dipped her chin and then regarded Ari again. "Your friend is very beautiful."

"Thank you. I like her." She tightened her arm on Ari's waist, and Ari leaned against her. "I hope you've found something that speaks to you."

"Oh, yes," William said. "We're in the midst of a fierce debate regarding which one we should pull the trigger on."

Whitney nodded. "Well, then I'll leave you to it. Pardon us." She guided Ari toward the stairs. "Cassius Coolidge? Why does that name sound so familiar?"

"He did a series of works representing animals engaged in an unusually human pastime."

Whitney thought for a moment and then swatted Ari's hip. "C.M. Coolidge? Dogs Playing Poker?"

Ari smiled. "Sorry."

"Don't be. Did you really get William and Sarah Boone to agree that Dogs Playing Poker captured hoi polloi zeitgeist?"

"I might have."

"I think I'll give you a bonus for that alone. Come on. Your servitude is almost over. We just have to make one more circuit and then I'll call you a cab."

Ari was strangely disappointed. "Are you sure? I'm having an okay time. If you need me to stick around, I'd be happy to."

She looked hopeful. "I wouldn't want to impose." 

"It's fine. I have nothing else to do tonight. I won't charge extra. In fact, I'm having a much better time tonight than I would have had at sitting at home. How about we call it even since you paid for the dress?"

"That's not very fair to you."

Ari smiled. "I'm really having a great time. And I don't expect anything to grow from this. It's just a lovely evening out with nice company. There's no reason you should cut into your profits just to keep me here."

"Thank you." They stopped at the foot of the stairs, moving to one side so they were out of traffic. "But I will pay you that bonus. You may have, um, picked up on the fact that it's a big deal I showed up with someone tonight."

Ari shrugged. "I didn't want to pry."

Whitney was quiet for a moment. "Her name was Carolyn. We dated for a year and a half. I was ready to settle down for the first time in my life. We were living together." She smiled sadly. "And then one day I got a voicemail. She didn't want to hurt me, and she didn't want to prolong my pain, so she and her new girlfriend wanted to know when I'd be out of the apartment so she could pick up her stuff. I was surprised she would move in with someone else so quick, but it turns out it wasn't that quick. There was overlap. Quite a bit of overlap, in fact."

"Ouch."

"That's not ouch. Ouch is wondering how you're going to break the news to your friends and finding out they already know and I didn't even suspect."

Ari sighed. "Wow. So I guess that's the real reason I'm here instead of someone real."

"No, all the other reasons I gave you are true. But I guess Carolyn is the biggest reason. I just couldn't face another Valentine's Day alone, especially not in a crowd like this."

"Sure. The only thing that's changed is that I'm off the clock. You don't have to worry about keeping me company or making the night special. Happy Valentine's Day."

"And to you. I've definitely had worse Valentine dates."

Whitney moved her hand to Ari's upper arm. "Maybe you can help me mingle a bit. I've made the appearance I need to, and we should at least put up the appearance of being a couple. Not that it's an effort. You're a very good date, Ariadne. Is this your most boring job yet?"

"Not even close. You don't know boring until you've sat in your car for five hours trying to get a single photograph of someone who is abusing their workman's comp. This is nice. I should take more jobs like this. Emotional protection."

"A walking, talking security blanket."

They spent the rest of the night together, and Ari got to see the business side of Whitney. Some of the figures they bandied about made her eyes widen, and she quickly realized that the expense of buying her dress was hardly a strain to Whitney's finances. The crowd soon began to disperse and the gallery seemed to expand in the emptiness. Whitney left Ari's side to have a celebratory glass of champagne with her staff while Ari took the opportunity to make another trip around the ground floor to enjoy the paintings without fear she would have to discuss them with anyone. She was standing in front of a stormy seascape when Whitney came back to her.

"That's a Vanessa Kavik."

"Should I know her?"

Whitney smiled. "She's not a big name, no. But she's consistent. I've been working with her since that hole in the wall gallery I mentioned. She's still loyal to me even though a few other galleries have sniffed around her." She worried her bottom lip with her teeth and then looked at Ari. "Well... thank you for a wonderful evening. You are hereby released from service."

"Happy to help. It wasn't my most boring case, but it was one of the most fun."

She started to turn away, but Whitney stopped her. "Would you like to go get a drink?"

Ari faced her again. "A drink? Now?"

"Yeah. I'm too wired to sleep, so I thought... if you're not busy..."

"Well. I did just get off work. Are there any good bars nearby?"

Whitney shook her head. "Nope."

Ari read between the lines. "Ah. Well, then what do you suggest?"

#

They behaved themselves in the cab and walking up to Whitney's apartment. Whitney turned on the lights and stepped out of her heels, seemingly shrinking three inches in the process. She looked back at Ari as she crossed to the kitchen. "Do you want something to drink?"

"Water's fine. I'm still a little loopy from the champagne."

"Hopefully not too loopy."

Ari smiled. "Just loopy enough."

Whitney got them each a glass from the tap and brought them back to Ari. "I didn't expect to like you so much. I really did want this to just be a... a..."

"Beard."

"Yeah." She chuckled and scratched the side of her neck. "But I like you. And it's Valentine's Day. And it's been a while." Her voice got soft. "I'd really like to go to bed with you. But if it's too much, or if you're uncomfortable being a one-night stand--"

Ari closed the distance between them and kissed her. Whitney made a helpless noise in her throat, her free hand going to the back of Ari's neck. The kiss wasn't timid or showy like the ones they shared earlier or in the gallery; there was nothing contrived about it. Ari pulled back just long enough to put down her water, stroked her palms over Whitney's cheeks, and sighed as they kissed again. Ari let Whitney's tongue into her mouth, moaning as she turned to press her against the wall. Whitney relaxed and rolled her head back, hands roaming over Ari's shoulders as Ari crouched to kiss her through the thin material of her dress.

When Ari straightened again, she put a finger on Whitney's chin so she wouldn't look away. "It's okay if I'm someone else for the next few minutes."

Whitney swallowed and then nodded. "I'm not trying to--"

"I know. It's okay. I just want you to know I won't be offended if her name slips out." 

She kissed the corners of Whitney's mouth and crouched again. She kissed Whitney's stomach as she eased up the hem of her dress, reaching under to pull down the skin-tone pantyhose. Pushing them down, she took the opportunity to stroke the soft skin of Whitney's legs before she knelt and eased them apart, pushing the dress up to her navel as she leaned forward and pressed her lips to the crotch of Whitney's underwear.

"Oh, fuck..." She put her hand on the back of Ari's head. "Yes..."

Ari heard the sound of a zipper and looked up to watch as Whitney wriggled the dress up over her head. She dropped it, then reached back to unhook her bra. It was tossed with a flick of the wrist, and Ari covered one small breast with her hand. She caressed the nipple with two fingers, matching her rhythm to the movement of her tongue against the hood of Whitney's clit, smiling when she heard the gasped cries of pleasure from above.

Whitney came quickly, which Ari expected, and she kept her tongue against Whitney's sex until the tremors stopped. She kissed her way up Whitney's body and pinned her to the wall as they kissed. Whitney slid her hand until she found the shoulder strap of Ari's dress. She pushed it down, tugging at the material until Ari's bra was exposed. Ari reached back and unfastened it for her. She guided Whitney's hand to her breast and grunted as the fingers tightened.

"Ariadne..." 

She bent her knee and flattened her foot against the wall, giving Ari a platform to straddle. She tightened her thighs around Whitney's, sank down, and rocked her hips slowly. She slipped one arm between Whitney's shoulder and the wall, pulling her close as they moved against each other. Whitney moved her hands down and gripped Ari's ass, digging her fingers in hard enough that Ari hissed.

"Too much?"

"No."

Whitney squeezed harder and Ari bared her teeth in approval. She arched her back and moved her hips faster, nostrils flaring as she came. She sagged forward, her forehead against Whitney's, and she opened her eyes as she cycled down from her orgasm. Whitney rolled her head back and Ari leaned in until their lips were properly aligned for a deep kiss. Whitney flicked her tongue against Ari's lips. She straightened her leg and they sank to the floor.

Ari rolled to one side, and Whitney retrieved the water they had so carelessly put aside when they lunged at each other. She drank deeply and wiped her lips on her wrist, chuckling when she saw the debris of clothes in her entryway.

"Sorry. It's been a long time."

"I understand."

Whitney nearly drained her glass with the next drink, sighing as she put the glass down next to her. "So is your agency on Yelp? I want to write a review."

Ari laughed.

"Goes above and beyond the call of duty for her clients." She brought Ari's hand to her lips and kissed the knuckles. "I'd like to see what you're like when you're actually trying to woo someone."

"Heh. Well. That doesn't happen very often."

Whitney rolled her head to look at her. "You mean there's no one special?"

Ari hesitated, staring across the room as she considered an answer so complicated she didn't want to get into it. "No... not really."

"Well. That's a shame."

"Worked out well for you, though." She winked and pushed herself up. She walked backward so Whitney could get a good look at her body. She hooked a thumb over her shoulder. "Bedroom's through here, right?"

"Yeah." Whitney got to her feet and pursued. "Let me show you..."

#

Dale paused the picture on a shot of Dylan, whom Helena currently had in the throes of passion, and put down her bowl of chips with great reluctance. She wrapped herself in a robe since she didn't want whoever was at the door to mock her choice in pajamas. She peeked through the peephole. "Who is it?"

"Quick Delivery, ma'am. I have a delivery for Miss Frye."

She undid the chain and opened the door just wide enough to see the deliveryman. He wore the standard orange and white uniform and smiled at her over the white and red bouquet he was holding. A plush heart was tied to the flower basket, and a bear was riding one side of the arrangement. 

"I didn't order that..."

"That's kind of the point of Valentine's. Right?" He held it out to her. "Happy Valentine's."

"Thank you." She took the flowers, trying not to be stunned by the size of the display as she tried to remember where her wallet was. "Um, let me get you a tip..."

"It's okay. It's worked into the price. Have a nice night."

Dale watched him go, then looked down at the flowers as she kicked the door shut. She slid the chain back in place before she went to the kitchen counter. The bear's plump arms were wrapped around a card, and she flicked it open with her thumbnail.

"This isn't for Valentine. You make my everydays better - Ari."

"Don't cry," Dale whispered to herself. "Do not cry." 

She turned on the tap and gave the flowers a drink, then carried them into the living room. She sat the flowers on the table between her and the TV, disconnected the bear from its perch, and held it in the crook of her arm as she started the show again. Despite the sex happening on-screen, she found her gaze kept returning to the flowers. She smiled, ran her thumb over the soft nap of the bear's head, and tried to focus on the show.


End file.
